Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate, prides himself on changing his mind.
If “I’m wrong about something, tell me the facts and I’m going to change my position,” he said in a radio appearance on “Good Morning New Hampshire” in June.
On many occasions, these shifts have made it difficult to pin down the specifics of his views on many of the major policy matters and issues animating American public life, and how he would seek to reshape the country if elected.
But while Mr. Kennedy, the anti-vaccine activist who often promotes conspiracy theories, is a long shot to win the White House, his blend of populist economic rhetoric, isolationist foreign policy leanings and government skepticism has seemed to find a real base of support. He also appears to be benefiting from Americans’ discontent with the choice between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.
He initially ran against Mr. Biden as a Democrat, but broke with the party last year. Recent polls suggest he would pull votes from both candidates in a general election.
Here’s what we know about where Mr. Kennedy, 70, stands on key issues.
Abortion
Mr. Kennedy has changed his position on abortion, one of the driving issues of 2024, over the last year. He endorsed federal restrictions on abortion after the first trimester of pregnancy, then backtracked. On a podcast released in early May, he said that women should be able to make such decisions without any government-imposed limits, “even if it’s full-term.”
